


Tattooed Souls

by yellowvim



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Bilingual Lance (Voltron), Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Cuban Lance (Voltron), Eventual Smut, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Gay Keith (Voltron), Gay Sex, Hunk (Voltron) is so Pure, Insecure Lance (Voltron), Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Keith (Voltron) is a Mess, Keith and Shiro are Adoptive Siblings, Keith and Shiro are Siblings, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, M/M, Minor Hunk/Shay (Voltron), Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining Hunk (Voltron), Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), Polyamory, Romantic Soulmates, Samoan Hunk (Voltron), Shameless Smut, Slow Burn, Soulmates, Threesome - M/M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-12
Updated: 2018-03-12
Packaged: 2019-03-17 05:11:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13652109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yellowvim/pseuds/yellowvim
Summary: Keith/Lance/Hunk Soulmate AU - Everyone is born with a distinct, unique tattoo. When you fall in love with someone, their tattoo appears on your skin, staying even after one or both people have fallen out of love.-Hunk has two tattoos, his own and an ex-girlfriend's.Lance has too many to count.Keith only has one;  his own.As they get to know each other more, they find new tattoos littering their skin. Keith is in denial. Lance is scared he's not enough for both of them. Hunk just wants to kiss them.





	1. i

When Hunk falls in love, the tattoo tickles his skin, right underneath his left rib cage. It's a small, rose quartz crystal.

When Shay falls in love, her tattoo tickles, too. It's a garter of sunflowers that wraps around her right thigh. She loves it, and she loves Hunk, and Hunk loves the way his tattoo looks on her skin.

When Shay tells him that she's moving, his tattoo stings.

“Europe?”

“Yeah! I got a scholarship, a full ride, can you believe it?”

Hunk swallows thick, smiling up at her. The silence is heavy, he already knows what she's going to say.

“I don't want you to wait for me. I'm gonna be there for six years, or more,”

Hunk nods, all his can feel is the burn of her tattoo seared into the skin beneath his heart.

When Shay leaves, she cups his face tenderly, fingers ghosting over where his love for her is obvious.

“I love you, Hunk. I do, really,”

“But, you need to go,” he nods.

Beneath his ribs doesn't burn anymore. Her thigh begins to.

And that was that. Shay met a European man a year later. She wrote about him to Hunk, and Hunk wrote back. Neither of them were in love anymore. But sometimes, their tattoos still stung.

-

  
Lance's tattoo is on his ankle. It's a small blue wave, with white peaks. He thinks it looks like the ocean wave emoji, but his mother begs to differ.

Lance falls in love easily. That's obvious by the tattoos that cover him. He has twenty-two tattoos. And he remembers who they're all from. He remembers the good people he fell in love with, and he can remember the way their tattoos tickled his skin.

And he remembers the not so good people. And how their tattoos burned and stung.

Lance has a total of twenty-two tattoos, not including his own. But not all twenty-two of those people have his tattoo. And that makes his heart hurt.

-

  
Keith has never fallen in love. He has one tattoo; his own.

His tattoo wasn't small, but it wasn't huge. It's a cat, a black cat. It's right over his belly button. And it's sitting down with its head turned up like it's looking at Keith.

When Keith was a kid, his tattoo embarrassed him. And sometimes, it scared him. But, he's since grown to appreciate it.

Keith doesn't enjoy feelings. He likes sex, and fucking, but that's it. He is definitely not the type of person to fall in love, obviously.

He's not embarrassed that he only has his tattoo.

And he knows other people have his tattoo, but he doesn't acknowledge it. He feels bad when people fall in love with him. And he feels bad when they don't see their tattoo on him. But, it is what it is, and Keith won't lie to make someone feel better.

-

  
Hunk and Lance have known each other since preschool. They grew up together. Hunk was there for Lance during every heartbreak. He was there, whispering sweet nothings, when Lance scrubbed his skin until he bled, trying desperately to wash away some tattoos.

And Lance was there for Hunk the night he knocked on Lance’s door, holding his ribs and sobbing. He shushed him gently, curling his fingers over Hunk's ribs. He knew what it was like. He understood Hunk's pain.

-

Keith has known Shiro since he was a kid. He grew up with Shiro. He’d been placed in Shiro’s home through the foster system. It was his last, and best foster family. And, for a long time now, his forever family.

He doesn't meet Pidge until he’s sixteen and she's thirteen. Her family moved into the house next to his and he and Shiro had been asked (forced) to bring them a Welcome to the Neighbourhood Gift. She had been the one to open the door and the beginning of a beautiful friendship had begun.


	2. ii

Hunk runs his fingers over the CDs slowly. He came here for something specific, but he can't remember what now. His attention keeps moving to the man across the room. He clears his throat, turning back to Lance.

“What am I here for?”

“Allura’s birthday,” Lance mumbles, eyeing an album in his hands. He glances up with a raised eyebrow. Hunk's eyes are glued to the guy by the posters.

His hair is tied up in a ponytail, but his bangs are still in his face, which makes Hunk smile. He's wearing a pair of black leggings (which has Hunk internally screaming) and a red hoodie that just says _NO._ in big, black lettering, and Hunk can tell immediately that it fits the guy's personality.

He's dark and broody and the opposite of Hunk's taste in men and women alike, but he's still drawn to him.

He's pulled from his trance when Lance speaks.

“I'm going over there,”

“What?! Lance, no-” Hunk stares down at the finger on his lips.

“I'm gonna get you laid,” Lance pauses, “Or a boyfriend. Or both. Probably both.”

Hunk deflates in defeat and embarrassment when Lance practically sprints across the store. All he can do is watch his best friend burn.

The attractive man looks annoyed and Hunk feels a pang of guilt. When two heads turn to look at him, his heart pounds.

He spins around quickly, pretending to be completely engulfed in the… Jonas Brothers CD he picks up.

“Hi,”

Hunk jumps, flushing to his roots. He laughs awkwardly when dark eyes flicker to the CD. The man continues.

“Your friend asked me for my number for you,”

“Did he? I'm sorry-”

“I'll give it to you,” he smirks, “But, I want you to ask.”

Hunk stares in surprise. He can see Lance nodding wildly from the corner of his eye, but he ignores him.

Upon closer inspection, he realizes how attractive this man is. He has light freckles dotting his nose and cheeks. And his eyes are so dark they look purple. And then he realizes that he should probably speak.

“Um,” he clears his throat, “Okay. I can do that, but we're doing this the right way.”

At the raised eyebrow he receives, he continues.

“I'm Hunk,” he holds his hand out proudly.

“Keith,” the stranger snorts in reply, shaking his hand. Hunk smiles brightly.

“Well, Keith,” he laughs nervously, “Could I possibly get your number?”

“You can,” Keith nods, holding to hand out. Hunk hurriedly pulls out his phone and hands it to Keith. He watches in awe as Keith types his number and name into his contacts.

“Well, Hunk,” he hands him his phone, smiling in this way that has Hunk's knees weak, “See you around.”

Hunk nods dumbly, watching the man - Keith - chuckle. And then he's gone and the bell above the door jingles, loud in Hunk's ears.

“Wow, good first impression,”

Hunk jumps again then turns to glare at Lance.

“Whatever, I still got his number,”

“Uh, yeah, because of me,” Lance scoffs, pointing at himself dramatically. Hunk laughs brightly, fingers brushing over Keith's name on his screen, and Lance feels his thigh burn and then guilt bubble in his chest.


	3. iii

Lance fell in love with Hunk when he was sixteen. He doesn't remember how it happened. He only remembers that Hunk smiled brightly at him and then his thigh felt like it was receiving a million kisses.

And when his eyes linger down to Hunk's ankle and it's bare, his thigh tingles. But, it's okay. Because as long as Hunk is happy, Lance is too.

And so he moves on. And he dates. And falls in love. And he feels guilty a lot, because he knows that it's not right of him to love Hunk so much and not tell his partners. And when some of them asked about the tattoo on his thigh, he'd lie or move on to a new subject.

Lance lives so many years in love with Hunk.

And when Hunk meets Shay, Lance and happy. He's proud of Hunk and he's proud of Shay. And he's so full of love for both of them.

But, Shay leaves. And he finds himself angry. He's angry with her and he's angry with himself. And he's angry with the universe.

And when Lance wakes up because Hunk is at his door at one in the morning, his thigh burns.

“Hunk, what's-”

Hunk looks broken. And he sounds broken. Lance is in shock because he has never seen Hunk like this before.

Hunk doesn't speak that night. He sobs and hiccups and cries. He curls himself up in Lance's arms. Lance slips his fingers underneath Hunk's and he presses them to the rose quartz on his ribs.

When Hunk is reduced to red eyes and stained cheeks, Lance knows not to talk.

It's four am when Hunk falls asleep. Lance sighs. He watches Hunk breathe and finally look at peace.

He smiles, noticing Hunk's missing headband, and pushes his fingers through the dark hair. With a lingering kiss to his forehead, Lance falls asleep too. And his thigh doesn't burn and it doesn't tickle. It feels like a million kisses. He knows he's falling in love all over again, and he knows it's horrible timing, but what can he do to stop it?

And today, helping Hunk get that guy’s number - it hurts Lance. But, it confuses him too.

Because when that guy starts talking, Lance finds that his heart rate picks up. And he ignores it. Because, he's here for Hunk. He ignores the way the man looks at him. And he ignores the way his chest aches.

Lance falls in love hard. And he falls in love with the wrong people. And it's something that he hates. But, he learns to live with it. And he learns to live with the tattoos that mark his skin, proving his love.


	4. iv

Keith plays the moment on repeat in his head. He rewinds over and over, remembering the man who first speaks to him.

He's tall and tan and so pretty. And when he smiles Keith has to force himself to stay standing.

“Hey!”

He's chirpy too. Keith can't decide if he likes it or not, but he does decide that he likes this man's voice.

“Hi?” Keith raises an eyebrow.

“I’m Lance. And my friend over there thinks you're smokin’, and I - his wingman - have come over here to ask for your number. For him. He wants your number,” Lance smiles brightly again, turning to wave smugly at his friend. Keith turns too, to see who wants his number. He's pleasantly surprised to see a literal snack looking over at them.

The man they're staring at flushes and jumps, turning quickly to avoid eye contact. Keith laughs under his breath, finding it endearing how someone who looks like pure sex seems to have the personality of a teddy bear.

“Yeah, the one in the space jacket,”

Keith blinks and Lance continues.

“He's too nervous to ask you himself, so I said I was gonna. But I'm not,” Lance slips an arm around Keith's shoulders as if they'd been friends for years. “I'm gonna send you over there. He needs practice, he's been outta the game for a while. So, whaddya say?”

Lance grins again and it's almost blinding. Keith laughs quietly.

“Sure,” he mutters, slipping out of Lance's grip to walk towards the other guy. As he gets closer, he notices this man's choice of CD.

“Hi,” he hums, eyes flickering over to the CD again. The Jonas Brothers’ self-titled album. He wants to make a comment so desperately, but he doesn't want to scare this incredibly attractive man off. So he bites his tongue.

Lance's friend jumps, and sets the CD down quickly. His pretty, pink blush reaches his ears and Keith laughs, speaking again.

“Your friend asked me for my number for you,” he smiles, glancing down at the Jonas Brothers CD again.

“Did he? I'm sorry-”

“I'll give it to you,” Keith smirks and looks back up at him, “But, I want you to ask.”

Keith smiles cockily. He's pleased with himself for reducing this man to a blushing mess. He hopes that he actually asks for his number. Keith doesn't notice the way this man looks at him. He doesn't see the adoration in his eyes.

“Um,” when he clears his throat, Keith blinks and turns to look at him again, “Okay. I can do that, but we're doing this the right way.”

Keith raises his eyebrow and the man continues.

“I'm Hunk,” he holds his hand out proudly. It's fitting, Keith thinks. He briefly wonders if it’s his real name or a nickname and then lifts his own hand to shake Hunk's.

“Keith,” he snorts a laugh. Hunk grins and Keith can feel his face heat up.

“Well, Keith,” Keith likes the way his name sounds on Hunk's tongue. “Could I possibly get your number?”

“You can,” Keith nods coolly. He holds his hand out and smiles when Hunk fumbles to get his phone. He calmly types his name and number into Hunk's contacts.

“Well, Hunk,” he grins, handing the phone back. “I'll see you around.”

He turns around and walks away before Hunk can even consider talking. He looks over in Hunk's direction one more time and wonders if he should've asked for Lance's number too.

He turns left on the sidewalk, and thinks about it for a second longer before wondering what kind of coffee Pidge got him today.


	5. v

He doesn't want pumpkin spice. He doesn't even like pumpkin spice. And it's not even fucking autumn. Why is pumpkin spice on the goddamn menu?

“I told you he wouldn't want it,”

“Hey, doesn't matter,” Pidge scoffs, “He lost a bet and now I choose his coffee for a month. Pumpkin spice is what I picked, drink up.”

“I hate you,” Keith grumbles. Pidge bats her eyelashes at him smugly and he has to resist the urge to actually pour his iced pumpkin spice latte on her. She didn't even have the audacity to order him a hot coffee, she got him a fucking iced one.

He pulls a face and sips his coffee sullenly. Pidge snaps a picture of him pouting into his drink and Shiro gives her his signature dad look.

“You two are ridiculous,”

“Yeah, but you still hang out with us,”

Keith tunes out the bickering in favor of scrolling through his phone. He laughs when a text from Matt makes his phone buzz.

“Dude, your boyfriend is texting me memes,” Keith snorts, “Maybe he finally realized that I'm the superior sibling.”

“Drink your pumpkin spice,” Shiro hums smugly, sipping his own (much better) choice of drink. It's probably just a black coffee with creamer but even that sounds better than pumpkin spice.

Keith and Pidge take off towards their apartment when Matt shows up and gets all gross and lovey dovey with Shiro. Shiro laughs and makes a show of kissing Matt before they stand and wave off Keith and Pidge like two proud parents.

“They are so gay,” Pidge mutters, rolling her eyes fondly.

“I gave a guy my number today,” Keith only brings it up because when they pass the bookstore, Lance and Hunk are still inside. (Lance has a banana hat on and Hunk is wearing those novelty, shutter sunglasses that frat boys wear.)

“Did he ask or did you offer?”

“Does that matter?”

“Uh, yeah, duh,”

“He asked,” Keith wasn't about to go on about how Lance technically asked and then he asked Hunk to ask him properly. “His name is Hunk.”

“Seriously?”

“I think so? He said it like it was normal and he didn't say it was a nickname,”

“What asshole would name their kid Hunk?”

“To be fair, he lives up to the name,”

“Damn,”

“Yeah, he is,” Keith breathes out slowly, “a mega hunk. I think I'm gonna bang him.”

“That's nice, do it when I'm not home,”

“No promises,”

Pidge snorts and starts up the stairs. Keith can see her tattoo under her hair and he smiles. It's a small tree that's 'planted' at the base of her neck.

She's the only other person Keith knows that doesn't have someone else's tattoo. While they have their differences (being that Keith is a sex fiend and Pidge has never even looked at someone with any trace of romantic or sexual desire), they're still the best of friends.

Keith is always reassured when he remembers that Pidge has never fallen in love either. It makes him feel like less of a freak.

Pidge is so normal and nonchalant about it. She doesn't like sexual or romantic relationships. And that's that. Pidge likes science. And Mystery Science Theater 3000. And peanut butter. (But she hates peanuts, "They're so dry!")

Pidge helps remind Keith that it's okay to not want a romantic relationship.


End file.
